At the initiative of the Norwegian Society of Chartered Technical and Scientific Professionals, Tekna, to continue the agreements reached during the visit of Tekna and Kherson CCI representatives to Minsk in June this year, International Sakharov Environmental University (ISEU) held on October, 14 a preparatory meeting on practical aspects of Cleaner Production and Energy Efficiency. The Norwegian Model (CPEE) program promotion in the Republic of Belarus.

Mr. Bjorn Borgaas, CP program manager; Mrs. Elena Berstad, the national coordinator of the program and Ms. Hanna Syrchyna representing Tekna’s Ukrainian partner – the Kherson CCI discussed with ISEU staff different practical aspects of the training programs arrangement. They developed altogether a tentative schedule for Minsk informational and training seminars.

During the visit, the representatives of Tekna and that of the Kherson Chamber of Commerce and Industry had a personal acquaintance with the new rector of Minsk environmental university – associate professor, Ph. D. in Biology Mr. Valery Dunay. Mr. Dunay confirmed the willingness of the University to inform the wide audience of the Republic of Belarus, including the authorities, about the progress and current results of the future training programs in order to promote further "rooting" of CP methodology at industrial enterprises of the Republic as well as further integration of CP principles to their daily activities.

In autumn this year, the International Sakharov Environmental University signed a Cooperation agreement with Tekna aimed at promotion of Clean Production on the territory of Belarus. Practical implementation of the provisions of this document involves close interaction of Norwegian and Belarusian parties within one CPEE informational seminar and two training cycles. Thus, the informational seminar for managers of Minsk local and regional industrial enterprises will be held in ISEU in early December. A preliminary list of participants of the first CP training cycle is expected to be developed after the results of the seminar; they will meet in ISEU classrooms in January, 2014.

Importance of Belarusian industrialists’ acquaintance with the methodology and the tools of Cleaner Production has been long discussed at the level of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in particular in the framework of the initiatives of the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Dnieper River Basin. For instance, in July, 2012 the issue of know-how named "Cleaner Production" promotion was raised by the participants of the regular meeting of the Association in agrocity Alexandria, Mogilev region.

On October, 15 Sakharov University initiated a meeting with Mr. Vladimir Komashko – Deputy Director of the Department on Energy Efficiency of the State Committee for Standardization. Main duties of the Department include development of the unified state policy in the field of efficient use of energy resources, supervision of the rational use of fuel, electricity and heat, as well as implementation of energy- and resource-saving measures by both the consumers and the producers. In the opinion of Tekna and the Kherson CCI, Cleaner Production in many ways represents one of the most effective means of realization of the Department-driven objectives and the state policy in the sphere of efficient use of energy and resources. Mr. Komashko listened to the Norwegian and Ukrainian parties. He confirmed his readiness for further cooperation and promised to support the initiative of ISEU as the Belarusian partner of Tekna. Mr. Bjorn Borgaas, CP program manager on behalf of Tekna, highly evaluated the meeting and expressed his hope for successful future work.